Nod
The Brotherhood of Nod (often shortened to "Nod" or the "Brotherhood") is a popular, global, religiously developed movementCommand & Conquer for Windows 95, English manual. Virgin Interactive Entertainment. 1995. devoted to the guidance of the elusive and charismatic figure of KaneElectronic Arts. Kane's Secret Dossier (mysterious pamphlet). 2009-10-13., and the extraterrestrial Tiberium substance'Kilian Qatar': The brotherhood remains stronger than ever, our commitment to Tiberium undying, and with your help, we will continue to spread the gospel of the great green crystal. (Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars) Electronic Arts, 2007'Kane': Our sacred brotherhood, inheritors of this glorious tiberium world. (Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars) Electronic Arts, 2007 that arrived on Earth in 1995. Although Nod surfaced in 1995 at the time of the substance's arrival, before this date, the Brotherhood was an ancient and secret societyBackground on the conflict, part 1 - Tiberian Dawn GDI campaign claiming to have originated prior to 1800 BCCommand & Conquer For Windows 95, english manual. Virgin Interactive Entertainment. 1995.. Reported beliefs include that Kane is an immortal prophet whose guidance dates back through their alleged millennia of secrecy'Nadia': This temporary chaos in Europe will only help to fuel the Brotherhood's cause. For centuries we have waited to emerge from the shadows and now we will make ourselves known. And Cain went out from the presence of The Lord. And took up residence... in the Land of Nod. (Command & Conquer: Red Alert) Westwood Studios, 1996'Kilian Qatar': Most people do not realize that the roots of our faith extend back several millennia. (Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars) Electronic Arts, 2007, and that Tiberium is the catalyst for the next stage in human evolution'EVA': Kane is determined to accelerate the spread of Tiberium, believing it is the catalyst for the next stage of human evolution. (Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars) Electronic Arts, 2007. Nod is linked to the three Abrahamic traditions of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, but its followers do not belong to any of these three traditionsScorpion Tank. C&C Frontpage. 2010-02-15.. While almost all Nod activity is concerned with complex economic, military and scientific foci, its religiously articulated ideology drives this. Sometime after the arrival of Tiberium, Nod was targeted as a terrorist group by the [[Global Defense Initiative], for actively using the dangerous tiberium substance to fund a military-industrial complex in impoverished regions, primarily Africa, and pursue total domination over the world's peoples and resources. Thereafter, Nod faced off against GDI in the four disastrous Tiberium Warshttp://www.commandandconquer.com/gameinfo, restoring itself after each of its successive defeats. Aliases of the Brotherhood Accessed from INTERPOL File 936 The organization is also known as "The Brotherhood, The Ways of Nod, or ShaÆSeer among the tribes of Godan." While the word 'Godan' existed prior to the Brotherhood, it is unknown which meaning of the term is specifically referred to, so the exact meaning is still unknown. The name 'Brotherhood of Nod' may have come from the Hebrew word Noded (נודד) which means wanderer, and is also the verb of the word Nod. It may be referring to the biblical Land of Nod, to which Kane is exiled: "Cain went out from Yahweh's presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden." Symbols of the Brotherhood The symbol of the organization is a black-rimmed red chamfered triangle enclosing a black curved scorpion's tail.. In the Third Tiberium War, protruding spikes were added to the design. File:CNCTD_Nod_Flag.png|Nod flag in TW1CNCMovies, Tiberian Dawn, Nod base struck by an Ion Cannon File:CNCTD_Nod_Flag_2.png|Alternate version (Renegade) File:CNCTS Nod Flag.png|TW2 flag 1280xNOD_Wall.jpg Fact Sheet Creation Founded at an unknown date. Earliest alleged activities date back to the Great World War Two. The Brotherhood claims that they were formed around 1800 B.C. Classification 1995: Violent non-state actor, combining the characteristics of a supranational corporation, a religious movement and a terrorist group 2030: A global violent non-state actor, centralised religious cult and military alliance. 2047: Global superpower, combining the characteristics of a nation state, a religious movement and a multinational corporation. 2077: Global military alliance, religious cult, transnational superpower Mandate 1995: Nod's official goal was to unite third-world nations under a pseudo-religious political platform with imperialist tendencies. In reality, the faction was an aggressive and popular anti-West movement vying for total domination of the world's people and resources. 2030-2062: To destroy GDI and embrace Tiberium as the future of humanity. 2062-2077: Eradicate the spread of Tiberium with GDI's cooperation and Ascend. Base of Operations 1995: Temple of Nod in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Cairo, Egypt. Before the central headquarters was identified, Nod was believed to have no central command base, instead operating from multiple individual locations, with posts previously identified in Kuantan, Malaysia; the Ar-Rub' al-Khali desert, Saudi Arabia; Tokyo, Japan and Caen, France. 1999-2030: Command centers of Generals Hassan and Vega. 2030: Temple of Nod at Cairo. Field command posts include the Montauk and an undisclosed bunker used by General Slavik during the Firestorm Crisis. 2034: Various warlord headquarters, including Rio de Janeiro and Brother Marcion's command center in Australia. 2047: Temple Prime in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Command identified at Uluru (Ayer's Rock) in Australia and Kane's Tower in Italy. 2052: Undisclosed location housing LEGION's core. 2077: GST Uzziel. Political Strength 1995: Nod was believed to back a number of officially-recognized political parties. Among the ones recorded by UN document A42962-94 are the Fist of Allah party in Jordan, the United We Stand party in the United States, and the Albion First! party in the United Kingdom, among others. 1999 - 2030: Tensions within the faction and dissolution of leadership caused Nod to fracture into several warring shards, centered around charismatic leaders. As such, the Brotherhood lost much of its political power and was easily infiltrated by GDI spies. 2034: Immense charisma of Black Hand leader, Marcion secretly unify Nod under Kane's command. 2047: The reformed faction controls and leads a large part of Yellow Zones covering the planet, supported by a majority of the disenfranchised population of these areas. 2062: The faction still leads the Yellow Zones, although with the Tiberium contamination high, it enters an alliance with its long-standing archenemy, GDI. 2072: Nod benefits from the alliance with GDI and is able to operate openly in Blue Zones. Economic Strength 1995: According to CIA Docket 3231.54-776 FIA, audits of seized financial files shows that Nod had US$255.2 billion in their operation assets. Because Nod controlled a large portion of the world's Tiberium supply, they were at the forefront of Tiberium research, and possessed incredible leverage in financial operations such as on the London Gold Exchange. 1999 - 2030: Insignificant. Fractured and broken, Nod splinter groups cannot challenge GDI's vast industrial power. 2030: The reemerging, united Brotherhood suddenly controls much of the world's Tiberium supply, again. 2047: Multiple Tiberium mining operations provide them with needed funding. 2077: Combined economic strength with GDI, due to the alliance. Military Strength Before the outbreak of the First Tiberium War, the most accepted idea was that it was yet another minor terrorist faction but when a scandal broke out involving major American defense contractors, it was discovered that Nod had substantial military air, sea and land power. Nod forces are composed of guerrillas from affiliated organisations, mercenaries and conscripts from the territories Nod controls, as well as Nod-indoctrinated pseudo-religious fanatics. Nod has significant WMD capabilities, including nuclear-equipped ballistic missiles. Known Affiliate Organizations or Associates 1995: Irish Republican Party, Islamic Jihad, Khmer Rouge, various Nod splinter groups. 2030: Brief alliance with GDI during the Firestorm Crisis. Known affiliation with some members of the Forgotten. 2047: Sub-factions include the New Black Hand and the Marked of Kane. Brief alliance with GDI during the Scrin Invasion of Earth. 2062: Alliance of convenience with GDI Historical overview While they claim to have been around since before 1800 BC, it is commonly believed to be an exaggeration. However, there are several pieces of evidence, among them an ancient burial site featuring Nod symbolism, that substantiate this hypothesis.Westwood Studios, Command & Conquer: Renegade. Mission 9: "Evolution of Evil". Nod's chief asset is its near monopoly on the Tiberium harvesting industry. Due partially to chance, the alien organism arrived via meteor impact near the Tiber river in Italy and thus the genesis of the name Tiberium. Kane, the leader of the Brotherhood, claims that it was the Brotherhood who found it first and that he named it after Tiberius Caesar Augustus. Tiberium spreads quickly and thrives in temperate to warm conditions. Many of the poorer countries straddling the equatorial regions were hit hardest by the rapidly-spreading substance. The Brotherhood, being anti-Western, tapped into these suddenly-rich nations for substantial control of the Tiberium market. At the time of the First Tiberium War, Nod controlled almost half the world's Tiberium supply at 49%. Compare this with the lackluster 27% controlled by the G8 nations (sponsors of GDI), and the remaining 24% in the hands of unaffiliated nations. Westwood Studios, Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn. Animation: c&c intro movie, intro2.vqa. The Brotherhood also always maintained a strong support from the population, through propaganda and other means. Members of Nod were encouraged to convince people to join the ranks (i.e. via www.brotherhoodrecruitment.nod) as well as propagate their ideals.Command & Conquer: Renegade audio files Nod looks at Tiberium very differently than its main enemy, GDI. Whereas GDI treats Tiberium as a dangerous but economically valuable product as well as a scientific anomaly, the Brotherhood sees it as the dawn of a new age entirely. Moreover, Tiberium is considered by Nod to be the greatest catalyst for human evolution, and thus a highly sacred substance. As such, they are much more willing to directly use Tiberium in potentially unsafe ways. First Tiberium War In the First Tiberium War the Brotherhood first launched an expansive campaign that eventually allowed it to take over most of Africa and launch a second campaign in mainland Europe. When GDI managed to take the initiative, to gain more support, Kane devised a plan to blame GDI for the slaughtering of the population of Białystok, Poland. Afterwards, Nod broadcast a fake news report claiming that GDI soldiers razed the whole town on suspicions of the citizens being involved in Tiberium smuggling. The broadcast created a scandal that forced the United Nations Security Council to cut GDI funding pending an investigation, causing the GDI to apparently almost shut down. Kane however was unaware that this 'scandal' was used by GDI and the UN, and as Nod forces arrived they encountered heavy resistance from "abandoned" bases. Since the incursions into GDI territory caused Nod forces to be spread very thin, GDI not only repelled the attacks, but took large areas of Nod territory during their counterstrikes, giving them the decisive advantange in the first conflict. Kane himself was believed to have been killed at the final stand of the Brotherhood near Sarajevo. With GDI forces closing in, Kane calmly attempted to exit his 'Temple of Nod' through the front door. However, as he gazed upon the ruined hallway the entire temple was suddenly bathed in the light of GDI's Ion Cannon. Kane was seemingly vapourised by the discharge, holding his arms out wide. Second Tiberium War Following the First Tiberium War, the death of Kane caused the Brotherhood to factionalise into small armies. For quite a long time, they fought more against themselves than against GDI. It is known that one of Nod's most influential leaders, General Hassan, was collaborating with GDI, keeping Nod relatively harmless. Unfortunately for Hassan, the Black Hand leader, Anton Slavik escaped an execution attempt, and rallied his forces against Hassan. The puppet leader was captured, and executed in a ceremony marking Nod's reunification. To the astonishment of many Nod personnel, Kane revealed himself to be alive shortly before Hassan was killed. Nod immediately launched an aggressive war against GDI positions, including assaults on Phoenix Base and Hammerfest. Nod also captured the Tacitus, a data matrix filled with vast knowledge about Tiberium. With it, Kane had planned on detonating a World Altering Missile, transforming all carbon-based life on Earth into Tiberium-based life. Westwood Studios, Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun. GDI mission 5c: "Rescue Tratos". However, with assistance from the Forgotten, the Global Defense Initiative managed to defeat Nod once more. Commander Michael McNeil, the GDI commander who led the assault on Cairo, discovered that Kane did not survive the Ion Cannon strike unharmed. Large portions of his face were hidden under a metal mask, covering what appear to be massive burns. This was particularly surprising, as all transmissions from Kane to both Nod and GDI showed a flawless face; a fact explained by CABAL digital filtering of raw images.Stojsavljevic, Rade, and O'Miley Ryan. Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun: Operations Manual. Las Vegas, Nevada: Westwood Studios, 1999. McNeil apparently killed Kane by impaling him with a shard of metal. Firestorm Crisis The Firestorm Crisis started with General Slavik arguing with the rest of the Inner Circle of the Brotherhood over leadership issues in the wake of Kane's apparent death. He ordered his men to recapture the Computer Assisted Biologically Augmented Lifeform, a move which he believed will help reunite Nod while at the same time allowing Nod to compete with GDI. The Black Hand recovered the AI, but shortly after CABAL's reactivation the computer seized control of all Nod Cyborg units, and assassinated the Inner Circle. Commander Slavik, who alone managed to escape the death that claimed the other generals, ordered all Nod forces to evacuate from CABAL's cyborgs. Slavik assists in this evacuation by maneuvering the Montauk to a Nod installation and recovering the survivors. Slavik then ordered a surgical strike against a massive GDI air force base to recover an EVA unit, which he had reprogrammed to assist Nod forces. With Nod's forces lacking the manpower or intelligence to beat CABAL alone, General Slavik approached GDI General Paul Cortez with a cease-fire offer so that they could work together against CABAL. Since GDI forces were also under considerable strain, Cortez agreed, and both sides began attacking CABAL's auxiliary bases, in Nod's case a Tiberium harvesting facility. With CABAL's auxiliary bases down, Slavik deployed members of the Elite Cadre, the best of his Black Hand troops, to clear out a patrolling Cyborg team before Nod established a base and launched an offensive against CABAL. Ultimately, GDI and Nod forces were able to destroy the CABAL Core. Slavik claimed victory against the single greatest threat to the Brotherhood. Interbellum However, Slavik's victory was short-lived, as unrest began to spread throughout Nod, and Slavik became increasingly unpopular. This eventually culminated in his murder at the hands of Marcion, who had taken control of the Black Hand and Nod being, again, splintered into warring factions. This left the still-alive Kane almost entirely by himself.http://www.commandandconquer.com/intel/default.aspx?id=113#NewsMain However, Kane, with LEGION, worked towards reuniting the Brotherhood again as a global superpower. The first step towards reunification was taken in the Rio Insurrection, in which Nod forces commanded by LEGION helped the local populace overthrow GDI rule and brought a renegade Nod warlord to heel. Kane then turned his attention to Austrailia, sending Nod forces, again under LEGION's command, first to retrieve information on Nod's Stealth Tank technology and later to subdue Marcion's Black Hand faction in central Australia. With Marcion brought back to the fold, Kane ordered the destruction of a GDI Liquid Tiberium research facility in the Outback, as a "grand gesture" to all Nod forces around the world. The destruction of the facility produced a Tiberium fallout across Australia, contaminating much of the country with the crystal. After this event, Nod was again a unified force. It operated mainly in the Yellow Zones, gaining the trust of the populace. Kane planned to strike against the GDSS Philadelphia, ordering LEGION to steal the plans for the Ion Cannon network. Kane also arranged for Redmond Boyle to become the GDI Director after the attack, counting on his incompetence to further the cause of Nod. Third Tiberium War The Third Tiberium War began with the Brotherhood of Nod again emerging from the shadows to battle GDI. In the very early stages of the Third Tiberium War, Nod launched a successful attack on GDI's Goddard Space Center, rendering all of GDI's anti-missile capabilities useless. GDI was caught off guard, with its senior commanders and Acting Director up onboard the Philadelphia for the annual energy summit. Due to the loss of its anti-missile defences, the Philadelphia became vulnerable to attack and was quickly destroyed by a Nod nuclear missile. Nod used the following confusion to attack all major GDI installations and were almost successful in taking North America. However, GDI rallied its forces and drove Nod out of the regions they had captured. It quickly became apparent that Kane and his leading scientists were working on a Liquid Tiberium bomb which would be strong enough to wipe GDI from the face of the planet. While GDI was in Africa, destroying what it believed to be Nod's chemical weapons factories, Nod was transporting its new weapon from the real chemical factories in South America to their reconstructed temple in Sarajevo in eastern Europe. After GDI finished their campaign in Africa, they turned their attention to Nod's stronghold. What GDI did not know, however, was that they had been lured into a trap. GDI flocked to Sarajevo in hopes that this would be the final encounter with the Brotherhood of Nod. They established strong footholds deep in Nod territory and used them as leverage to launch a devastating attack on Nod's Temple Prime. During the attacks, Kane stealthily slipped away, knowing that his work there was complete. When GDI was successful in neutralising Nod's Ion disruption towers, they fired upon the temple with their Ion Cannon. When the Ion Cannon was fired, the temple was destroyed instantly. The ion particles broke through the layers of the temple until it reached the lowest lying part, wherein large quantities of liquid Tiberium was stored. Upon contact with the ion particles, it detonated, sending shockwaves across the planet. Millions of people in Eastern Europe were feared dead, but to Director Redmond Boyle it was a price worth paying for the death of Kane and destruction of Nod. Unknown to GDI, Kane had tricked GDI into using its Ion Cannon to detonate the liquid tiberium. Kane had to trick GDI into destroying the stores of liquid tiberium below Temple Prime. He had to because, Nod had no way to detonate a liquid tiberium bomb. The only way liquid tiberium would detonate in any catastrophic way was if it was fired upon by an Ion Cannon. Nod followers were understandably shocked. Their temple was destroyed and their great leader was dead. Kane's second in command, General Kilian Qatar, took over control of the Brotherhood and called all forces to her Australian base so that they may be able to regroup. Unbeknownst to them, the liquid tiberium blast had other consequences. An alien species known as the Scrin had been waiting in our solar system for millennia for a signal to invade Earth: a liquid Tiberium explosion. The Scrin landed in Red Zone's and began deploying infantry, spacecraft and vehicles against any resistance they encountered. GDI and Nod grudgingly joined forces to combat this new enemy. During a major battle in Australia, Kane resurfaced, and was furious at Qatar for allying herself with GDI and ordered her death. Qatar was executed and Kane revealed his master plan. The Tacitus contained information on a future alien invasion, and that the invasion would begin when a liquid Tiberium explosion occurred. Kane saw this as an opportunity to invite a superiour race to Earth - one with vast knowledge of Tiberium. However, Kane and his scientists could not find a strong enough detonator to get the desired results. As a result, Kane started a war with GDI, knowing that they would retaliate with their Ion Cannon on his temple - the only force strong enough to detonate the bomb to gain the necessary explosion. When the Scrin arrived on Earth, they began to construct monolithic towers. When each of these towers was constructed, they would become an interstellar gateway to other galaxies and worlds. Also, on completion, they would become invulnerable to any attack. The towers housed vast information on Tiberium. If enough of these towers would to have been successfully built, a massive Skrin attack force would have been able to warp directly to earth. Earth would have been conquered and that would have been the end of humanity. After GDI fought off the initial Scrin attack, it noticed the towers for the first time. Knowing that whatever the towers would do, could not possibly be good, they launched co-ordinated attacks on every tower across the globe, starting with the tower closest to completion: the Threshold in Rome. Kane realised that at least one tower must survive for this campaign to be successful and orders Nod's energy to be focused on defending one particular tower in southern Italy. Kane also ordered the retrieval of an 'access key' to the tower, which was located in a Scrin Nerve Center in Italy. This was accomplished by a legendary Nod Commander. GDI assaulted the last tower with tremendous force but was held back by Nod and is eventually pushed from the area. All other towers across the globe were destroyed and the tower in southern Italy was the last one standing. Kane's plan, as a result, was a success. The Scrin's vast knowledge of Tiberium was now in the hands of Nod. Third Tiberium War aftermath Nod was once again driven underground due to GDI attacks, and the surviving upper echelons of Nod leadership kept a low profile; to all outward appearances, the Brotherhood ceased to exist as a military force. Kane himself admitted Nod is a "shadow of what it was", but added "that is how it should be, for only the chosen few will be allowed into the Promised Land." While GDI have managed to drive Nod "off the face of the planet", Nod survived underground and their activities hidden from the view of GDI. Kane's Tower, the surviving Scrin Threshold in the southern Italian Red Zone, probably became the hub of Nod activity, while Nod study the knowledge the Scrin have brought with them (GDI believed the Tower to be inert). Kane adopted Scrin style of clothing - his Nod robes are now dyed purple-black and marked with Scrin writing. In 2052 the Marked of Kane - a secret army of cyborgs previously dormant in Russia and South East Asia - were awakened. Kane learned that GDI was conducting experiments on the Tacitus which were destabilizing it. Kane had ordered Legion to retrieve the Tacitus from a GDI research base in the Rocky mountains. Led by LEGION and reinforced by the 2nd Armoured Regiment of the Black Hand and a force of core Nod soldiers, the Cyborgs were able capture the now-unstable Tacitus. The Tacitus was saved just in time before it exploded. The Tacitus was stable enough that Kane could upload it into Legion. The Tacitus transported LEGION to the Ichor Hub. 2062: An Unholy Alliance with GDI Meanwhile, Tiberium continued its inexorable march across the globe. Ten years later, despite GDI's best efforts, Tiberium contamination reached critical levels. As during the Firestorm Crisis, human extinction seemed inevitable. On July 24, 2062, Kane openly approached GDI to seemingly offer an alliance.http://www.commandandconquer.com/cnc4/index.htmlCommand & Conquer 4 Q&A - Exclusive First Details, page 2 Command & Conquer 4 Q&A - Exclusive First Details, page 2. GameSpot. July 9, 2009. Appearing before the GDI Council of Directors holding the Tacitus, he proposed a deal: to save humanity, he would share with GDI the knowledge of Tiberium Control which Nod had gained from the Tacitus, and GDI would provide the resources to build a "Tiberium Control Network". The Incursion War Now, a schism developed within Nod. Many viewed the alliance with GDI as heresy, and came to believe that Kane has forsaken his people. Armed attacks by Nod dissidents attempting to halt the construction of the Tiberium Control Network, or TCN, soon led to open rebellion against Kane. Led by Gideon, the Nod Separatists (as they came to be called) waged a relentless and highly destructive guerrila war against GDI and Nod loyalists. The conflict, known as the Incursion War, saw an overhaul of Nod's military, including the introduction of the Crawler system similar to GDI's. By 2073, the TCN was completed by the end of 2073, the rebellion crushed and the surviving leaders driven into hiding - catastrophe has been averted. Ascension Conflict and Ascension itself By May 2077, Nod's alliance with GDI still held despite growing political unrest between the two factions, which was not helped by the Separatist raids. However, no one realised that the purpose of the TCN was twofold - not only did it stop Tiberium from spreading across the globe, it was also linked to Threshold 19 to form a portal which Kane needed to 'ascend'. However, the portal could only be open by humans with special implants developed by Kane and Dr Johann Pascal. Nod separatists learnt of this and killed all those with the implants, except for one GDI field commander, Commander Parker. Also, a GDI right-wing faction led by Colonel Louise James became a hindrance to Kane's plans. Before Kane could link the TCN to the Threshold tower, the Nod loyalists wanted to bring Gideon and the separatists to heel. While GDI was reeling from an internal power struggle between James and the GDI government, the Brotherhood of Nod was once again united by forcibly capturing Gideon before he could self-destruct his base. GDI and Nod fought each other once again at Threshold 19 for control of the TCN, in which Nod and Kane was successful in linking the TCN to the tower. In the ending of both campaigns, Parker dies a slow death, but not before he activates the portal, allowing Kane and the rest of Nod to ascend through the portal, disappearing from Earth. With all Nod followers having ascended, the Brotherhood's status is currently unknown, but GDI is left as the sole planetary superpower on Earth. Details of Nod Philosophy During the First Tiberium War the Brotherhood of Nod was widely regarded by its detractors and opponents to be a quasi-state, quasi-terrorist organisation seeking to unite the third-world nations under a religious political platform with imperialist tendencies. According to the group's own claim they were a religious Brotherhood of ancient origin which strived for a world of 'peace', 'unity' and 'eternal brotherhood' in which all the peoples of the world could 'face the struggles of life as one', and that human society's full embracement of the alien substance of Tiberium was the key to this revolution. In official statements, Nod specifically stated that it wished to unify the developing countries of the world that have been ignored, abused and neglected by the industrialised nations. Nod's modi operandi during the First Tiberium War however revealed it to be a highly-aggressive and popular, anti-West movement vying for total domination of the world's peoples and resources. During the Second Tiberium War, Nod's religious viewpoints began to place a much larger emphasis on the concept of 'Divination', a process through which all followers of Kane were promised the means to embrace the 'Tiberian future of Humanity' and subsequently flourish in every imaginable aspect. At the end of the Second Tiberium War the true nature of the Brotherhood of Nod's 'Great Plan' would eventually reveal itself as the complete transformation of all carbon-based life on Earth to Tiberium-based life, through the launch and detonation of a world-altering Tiberium warhead within the planet's upper atmosphere. Their defeat at the end of the war and Kane's disappearance have brought a change in doctrine, further emphasizing Nod as a religion. The Ascension was defined as the final goal of the Great Plan, while religious dogmas began putting even greater emphasis on venerating Tiberium as divine. The Brotherhood releases numerous guidance files to help brothers learn the philosophy and Ways of Nod. They are part of the Nod religion and existed as far back as the First Tiberium War. Indeed, the quasi-religion of Nod was well developed back in 2002, as rituals and peculiar masses were all regular parts of a daily life of a Brother of NodCommand & Conquer: Renegade, sound files found in game archives and heard in the Hand of Nod. First Tiberium War philosophy details Below are two excerpts from First Tiberium War-era PR material, detailing Nod philosophy in the early 21st century: :does the Brotherhood exist :As long as man has had breath the Brotherhood has existed. For from the beginning - when man's struggle was with nature, not knowing where he might sleep, how he would eat, or whether he would survive to see the light of dawn - there have always been those who would lord over others. People who believe that they, by some unseen right, are granted power over others, and would push others down so they might climb, are the greatest threat to mankind's existence. For many years has one man or one race prospered on the sweat and work of others. :Such injustices are not just a sin against mankind, but also a sin against God. The Brotherhood had its beginnings with the first downtrodden who looked for a better way. These oppressed sought a path that would allow them to gather fruits of life and achieve enough resources and wealth that they and their families could survive and advance with the rest of mankind. :to act :With the unstoppable growth of Tiberium across the Globe, most of it occurring in nations friendly to the Brotherhood, our time has come. The vast wealth and resources gained from Tiberium have given us the ability to come into the open and challenge our antagonists face to face. Across the Globe, GDI and Nod forces now clash in a titanic struggle that will decide the fate of mankind for all time. The GDI hides behind the façade that they are here to help the free nations in their struggle against those they would name terrorist. We in the Brotherhood know the truth. Our fight is for all mankind, not for those cherished few. The Brotherhood puts emphasis on the collective, rather than the individual. However, individuals are not written off when killed as a mere casualty, instead, they are revered as martyrs for their cause (audio file from a TW1 Hand of Nod memorial shrine): :This memorial stands as a symbol of eternal life, in remembrance of the dead. These brave souls sacrificed their lives to strengthen The Brotherhood, so we might live on and carry their names proudly with us. We remember also our ancestors, who came before us and gave us life. Blessed be these names, for they are our kin, our blood. May they stand proudly forever, and in time become ancestral themselves. Remember your mourning moment of silence, for the lost but not forgotten. Nod aesthetic Interestingly, ancient laws of the cult forbid making anything in the image of man, prompting non-humanoid forms and aesthetic to dominate Nod art and architectureDuane Loose, Deep Industrial Design document for Tiberium (game). Very rarely does the dogma allow for ignoring the rule - one notable exception is the Voice of Kane, intended as a manifestation of the Prophet's presence on the battlefield. Internal power structure The structure of the Brotherhood is hierarchical, shaped much like military orders of ages past (e.g. Knights Templar), with the leader of the Brotherhood being Kane, who is aided by the Inner Circle, his most trusted lieutenants and commanders. The hierarchy then branches out as each Inner Circle commander has his subordinates, who in turn command others, eventually arriving at the bottom, where the rank-and-file members are. The Brotherhood however, maintains a military doctrine that intends to give commanders and soldiers large degrees of freedom in categories of engaging the enemy and tactics. Essentially, only objectives were given and the means to achieve them were left to the commander to decide on. Within Nod, smaller, more elite organisations are active, such as the Black Hand. Each organisation has their own combat doctrines and exclusive technologies, available to affiliated commanders. The internal politics of the groups are unknown, though the Black Hand has played a large role throughout the Tiberium Wars. It has to be noted, that the Brotherhood and it's members are extensively monitored by security and each other. The AC-NBM directive being one of the examples. Power struggles The Brotherhood of Nod has a long history of internal power struggles. Rivalry between commanders and subordinates was commonplace, and even encouraged; however, Kane ensured that the struggle did not undermine the primary Nod effort or endanger his position, if need be by removing the dangerous man (as was the case with Seth). When Kane disappeared from the power structure, however, the lack of a strong leader caused the Brotherhood to dissolve into factions and engage in a civil war, seeking to dominate the others. As was evidenced by the years after the First Tiberium War and the Firestorm Crisis, a strong leader is able to take control of the Brotherhood and reshape it into an even more powerful organization, ready for the reappearance of Kane. Another noted power struggle occurred following the Firestorm Crisis. Slavik was Kane's rightful successor. Following Slavik's victory over CABAL, Slavik's rule was short-lived. He was assassinated by a traitorous Black Hand cleric named Marcion. It was unique that Marcion also targeted Kane, claiming that he was a false prophet. Marcion probably did this to try to discredit Kane so that he (Maricion) could remain the leader of Nod. This also resulted in the Brotherhood breaking up. However, thanks to the covert efforts of Kane and LEGION, the Brotherhood was reunited prior to the Third Tiberium War. During the Third Tiberium War, Kilian Qatar, one of the Inner Circle members, had began to doubt Kane, considering his plan unnecessarily aggressive. During the Siege of Temple Prime, reinforcements sent to the Temple defected, and were suspected of doing so under Qatar's influence. After Kane's apparent demise, Qatar claimed authority over the remainder of the Brotherhood. Her aid to GDI during the Scrin invasion sealed her fate, as shortly after returning, Kane ordered his most reliable commander to capture her command center at Ayers Rock. Following her execution, the Commander was given her seat at the Inner Circle. However, Qatar was in fact set up by LEGION at the behest of Alexa Kovacs, an extremely loyaly follower of Kane who distrusted Qatar. Kovacs then uploaded a virus into LEGION, which she also mistrusted, before shooting herself as she was caught in the act by Kane. When Kane offered an alliance of convenience with GDI to build a Tiberium Control Network in 2062, many Nod followers were outraged and believed Kane has forsaken his beliefs and people. Causing a friction within the faction, the Nod Separatists]] led by Gideon denounced Kane and started a highly destructive guerilla war against both GDI and the Nod Loyalists. Although the Separatists were crushed by GDI and Nod loyalists at the end of the Incursion War, Gideon still proved to be a dangerous foe to Kane; he attempted to assassinate Kane with modular Obelisks of Light at the TCN ceremony in New Adana. It was only when the Fourth Tiberium War erupted in 2077 that Kane's forces finally brought Gideon and his Separatists forces to heel after discovering the location of the Separatists' main hideout. Gideon surrendered and was presumably executed, the Brotherhood reunited forcefully once again before Ascending. Nod military doctrine The Brotherhood's military is centered around the concepts of stealth and speed, preferring outmaneuvering their enemies, hit-and-run attacks, guerrilla tactics and subterfuge. The armoury of the Brotherhood consists primarily of lightly armoured, fast vehicles with average firepower, which can outmaneuver and flank the opponent. Long-range weaponry is also prevalent, including the surface-to-surface missile launchers or large caliber artillery designed to deliver immense amounts of punishment to the opponent without exposing themselves. The Brotherhood tends to avoid direct engagements, as their main battle units are significantly less powerful than their counterparts (the light tanks can challenge GDI medium tanks only with numerical superiority, this trend has continued throughout the Tiberium Wars), preferring fast, surprise attacks with packs of Recon bikes or Stealth tanks striking vulnerable, unprotected parts of enemy infrastructure or long range bombardment with artillery and ballistic missiles. Their Avatar Warmechs, however, have proven that they can fight direct confrontations if the need arises. Another way in which Nod engages the enemy is through the media. For example, the Brotherhood was able to fight GDI indirectly by triggering a massive scandal concerning the massacre of civilians in Białystok, Poland; supposedly done by GDI soldiers. This scandal resulted in UN cutting off funding for the GDI. Another example of Nod misinformation warfare was when Nod operatives attacked the central base of the Forgotten posing as GDI, rallying thousands of Mutants to Nod's cause by manipulating media reports. Nod is also bringing help to the people in the Yellow Zones. They bring water, food and medical supplies, along with providing education and job training to all the harmless people in the Yellow Zones, with soldiers for their army in trade. This tactic has formed the millions of willing yet poorly trained and equipped soldiers known as Militants.